Chirang district

Chirang District is an administrative district in the Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam state in the North-East of India.

For disambiguation, see Chirang (disambiguation).

Chirang
District of Assam
Dwijing Festival in Chirang
Dwijing Festival in Chirang
Location in Assam
Location in Assam
Coordinates (Kajalgaon): 26.58°N 90.61°E / 26.58; 90.61
Country India
State Assam
Territorial Region Bodoland
HeadquartersKajalgaon
Government
 • Lok Sabha constituenciesKokrajhar (shared with Kokrajhar district)
 • Vidhan Sabha constituenciesSidli, Bijni
Area
 • Total1,169.9 km2 (451.7 sq mi)
Population
 (2001)
 • Total482,162
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Major highways27
Websitechirang.gov.in

Etymology

The word "Chirang" has derived from Garo word - "Chi" means Water and "Rang" means Rain. It may also be a copy of Tsirang District of neighbouring Bhutan. On the other hand, most of the people regarded the word Chirang is derived from the Bodo word Chirang or Sirang. Si means life and Rang means Money.

History

Udalguri district falls under the Eastern Duars which includes the region between the Sankosh river and the Manas river.

From early 17th-century present-day Chirang district was under the control of Kingdom of Bhutan,[1] till the Duar Wars in 1865 when British removed the Bhutanese influence and later the areas were merged to undivided Goalpara district of the Indian Union in 1949.

It is a relatively new district in the Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam. Chirang district has been carved out from Bongaigaon district in 2004.[2] Sirang was an area which is covered by valuable soil, plants, trees, flora and fauna or the things which are necessary for human life. Thus, it is a place which is important for human life or the place which is just like money or valuable for life and is later come to know Si + Rang = Sirang. After some time, the word articulated to Chirang from Sirang. And thus, the word Sirang is latter known as Chirang.

Geography

National protected area

Flora and fauna

In 1990 Chirang district became home to Manas National Park, which has an area of 500 km2 (193.1 sq mi).[3] It shares the park with four other districts.

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
190137,523—    
191148,731+2.65%
192161,885+2.42%
193171,977+1.52%
194182,972+1.43%
195190,797+0.91%
1961165,829+6.21%
1971247,085+4.07%
1991437,288+2.90%
2001433,061−0.10%
2011482,162+1.08%
source:[4]

According to the 2011 census Chirang district has a population of 482,162,[5] roughly equal to the nation of Suriname.[6] This gives it a ranking of 547th in India (out of a total of 640).[5] The district has a population density of 244 inhabitants per square kilometre (630/sq mi) .[5] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.26%.[5] Chirang has a sex ratio of 969 females for every 1000 males,[5] and a literacy rate of 64.71%. 7.33% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 7.29% and 37.06% of the population respectively.[5]

Religion
Religion in Chirang district (2011)[7]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
 
 66.50%
Islam
 
 22.66%
Christianity
 
 10.32%
Other or not stated
 
 0.52%

Hindus make up the majority, with 66.50%. Muslims are the second largest with 22.66%. Christians are third with 10.32%.[7]

Language

Languages of Chirang district (2011)[8]

  Boro (37.82%)
  Bengali (28.85%)
  Assamese (17.19%)
  Santali (4.72%)
  Rajbongshi (4.22%)
  Nepali (2.51%)
  Kurukh (1.11%)
  Hindi (1.06%)
  Others (2.52%)

According to the 2011 census, 37.83% of the population spoke Boro, 28.86% Bengali, 17.66% Assamese, 4.73% Santali, 4.22% Rajbongshi, 2.51% Nepali, 1.11% Kurukh and 1.06% Hindi as their first language.[8]

Villages

Notes
  1. "While Bhutan generally enjoyed absolute possession of the eleven Bengal duars, its control over the seven Assam duars was not straightforward. Even during the Ahom rule, the Bhutanese did not gain full possession of the duar tracts. As a result, they are said to have harassed the population along the Assam frontiers with persistent incursions and raids."(Phuntsho 2013:394)
  2. Law, Gwillim (25 September 2011). "Districts of India". Statoids. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  3. Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment. "Protected areas: Assam". Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  4. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
  5. "District Census Handbook: Chirang" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  6. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Suriname 491,989 July 2011 est.
  7. "Table C-01 Population By Religion: Assam". census.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  8. "Table C-16 Population By Mother Tongue: Assam". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.

References
  • Phuntsho, Karma (2013). The History of Bhutan. Penguin Books. ISBN 9781908323583.
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